LGCY Power Expands Residential Solar Business Through National Homebuilder Partnerships

The American Clean Power Association (ACP) issued the following statement from ACP CEO Jason Grumet after the Department of the Interior issued a stop work order for offshore wind project construction activity impacting the Empire Wind 1 project (15-30 miles south of Long Island):  

“Halting construction of fully permitted energy projects is the literal opposite of an energy abundance agenda. With skyrocketing energy demand and increasing consumer prices, we need streamlined permitting for all domestic energy resources. Doubling back to reconsider permits after projects are under construction sends a chilling signal to all energy investment.   

“These political reversals are bad policy, whether applied to pipelines or wind farms. We encourage the Administration to quickly address perceived inadequacies in the prior permit approvals so that this project can complete construction and bring much needed power to the grid. At the end of the day, reliable energy systems depend on reliable political systems.”  

Ipsun Solar, a community-based solar company serving Virginia, Washington D.C., and Maryland, is proud to announce a new partnership with EYA, Washington's leading developer of urban and transit-oriented properties. Through the partnership, Ipsun will provide homebuyers with the option for rooftop solar panel installations for EYA's new townhomes at Reservoir District, a sustainability-focused, all-electric community currently under development in Washington, D.C.

Through this partnership, homebuyers can select to seamlessly add a complete solar system during the design phase of their townhome purchase. Ipsun Solar will install between 8 and 14 high-efficiency 425W panels, depending on the home model, along with a solar inverter for reliable, clean power from day one.

"This partnership reflects our mission of making solar energy accessible, high-quality, and an easy choice for homeowners," said Jim Cahill, General Manager of Ipsun Solar. "EYA's leadership in building vibrant, walkable communities aligns perfectly with our commitment to clean energy. Together, we're helping residents lower utility costs, reduce emissions, and invest in long-term sustainability."

 "We're excited to work with Ipsun Solar to bring high-performance solar energy to Reservoir District," said Jack Lester, Executive Vice President of Acquisition and Development. at EYA. "This collaboration enhances our all-electric home offering with a renewable energy option that aligns with our vision of creating communities that are not only thoughtfully designed, but environmentally responsible and future-ready."

Residents who install solar at Reservoir District can benefit from a 30% federal tax credit and generate income through Solar Renewable Energy Certificates (SRECs)—currently valued at $415 each in Washington, D.C. The solar systems are backed by Ipsun Solar's 10-year workmanship warranty, along with Q CELLS' 25-year equipment and production warranties.

EYA | https://www.eya.com/

Ipsun Solar | https://ipsunsolar.com/

Palmetto, a leading provider of clean technology products and services, announced its Energy Intelligence Group has signed WattShift as its first Virtual Power Plant (VPP) customer. This milestone follows the recent launch of Palmetto's Energy Intelligence API, a powerful new data tool that provides unprecedented access to building energy modeling. The API empowers businesses, utilities, and developers to drive the widespread adoption of clean energy solutions.

The company's first VPP customer is WattShift, a leader in smart thermostat and distributed energy resource demand management bringing cheaper, cleaner energy to homes. Recognizing that peak energy demand drives up costs and carbon emissions, WattShift's software connects to smart thermostats and intelligently manages energy use during these critical times. Whether with thermostats, hot water heaters, or home solar and battery arrays, WattShift's innovative approach puts money back in consumers' pockets without compromising comfort by proactively adjusting settings based on grid conditions and energy prices.

WattShift is using Palmetto's Energy Intelligence software to predict a home's energy consumption, production, and storage capacity at peak demand times, thereby improving load-shifting recommendations and maximizing impact with minimal disruption to comfort or convenience for our customers.

Will Blanchard, CEO of WattShift, stated, "Palmetto's Energy Intelligence software allows us to model a home's disaggregated energy footprint at the hourly level, insights that help us create maximum value for our customers. These insights allow us to optimize the timing of energy usage, including the efficient utilization of battery and thermal storage for grid support. The product was a natural fit for us at WattShift, and the platform offers the potential to significantly expand WattShift's reach and impact."

Palmetto's Energy Intelligence API models the building and energy footprint of every residential building in the United States, detailing energy consumption by fuel type and disaggregated end-use. This proprietary AI-powered technology is now available to developers globally, enabling the creation of scalable solutions for energy and climate challenges. The API allows users to pinpoint any U.S. residential address, analyze its building characteristics through geospatial intelligence, understand energy consumption patterns, and forecast the impact of energy efficiency upgrades.

By equipping businesses with this actionable intelligence, Palmetto empowers them to guide consumers in transforming their homes into resilient, clean energy hubs. This forward-thinking technology facilitates the integration of distributed energy resources and optimizes the grid edge.

"Our goal in developing the Energy Intelligence API was to accelerate the clean energy transition by democratizing access to powerful AI-driven energy data for businesses and developers," said Michael Bratsafolis, President of Energy Intelligence at Palmetto. "By providing granular insights into energy consumption and production across diverse scenarios, we are helping our customers build smarter, more efficient energy systems that benefit both consumers and the environment."

Key Benefits of the Energy Intelligence API:

• Detailed Energy Insights: Access modeled hourly energy usage data, broken down by end-use, to optimize consumption and reduce costs.
• Scalable & Flexible Integration: Customizable integration options for businesses, utilities, and software developers.
• Enhanced Grid Optimization: Supports demand forecasting, load balancing, and the management of distributed energy resources.
• Empowered Consumers: Provides tools for end-users to monitor and actively reduce their energy footprint.
• Best-in-Class Building Energy Modeling: Granular analysis of over 60 building attributes, including distributed energy resources (DERs) like solar PV and battery storage, HVAC systems, and building envelope characteristics such as windows and insulation.
• Comprehensive Reporting & Data Management: Users can generate detailed reports, assess project feasibility, and conduct intelligent parametric searches based on geographic, energy, and demographic criteria.

What will you build? 

Palmetto is actively onboarding new customers - interested parties can create an account here and start building in minutes. Pricing will be set on a per-call basis, and can be customized for predictable volume buyers, but the generous free tier will enable any interested developer access to the technology.

Join Palmetto at San Francisco Climate Week!

Palmetto's Energy Intelligence Group will be co-hosting the 2025 Energy Hackathon during San Francisco's Climate Week. Learn more about their insights and the future of energy intelligence at https://www.sfclimateweek.org/

Palmetto | https://palmetto.com/

WattShift | https://www.wattshift.com/

Lhyfe (EURONEXT : LHYFE), a world pioneer in the production of green and renewable hydrogen for mobility and industry, announces that the French Prime Minister has officially confirmed, by signature, a €149 million grant for its future green hydrogen production plant located near the Grand Canal of Le Havre. The facility is expected to reach  a capacity of up to 34 tonnes per day. The project was selected in 2022 by the European Commission as part of the third wave of IPCEI (Important Projects of Common European Interest) dedicated to hydrogen. In March 2024, the French government announced its decision to award this grant to Lhyfe, through Roland Lescure - then Minister Delegate for Industry and Energy - during a visit to Le Havre1.  

3D modelling of a Lhyfe green hydrogen production site (onsite)

A phased public support scheme

The contract signed with Bpifrance outlines the terms of implementation for the public funding. Lhyfe will receive an initial advance of €18m by June 2025, enabling it to cover investments already made since 2022 and to launch the next stages. A second tranche will be released in the following months based on the achievement of milestones specified in the contract. Subsequent payments will take the form of reimbursements for eligible and duly justified expenses, contingent upon the successful completion of predefined annual milestones, over a four-year period and up to a maximum total amount of €149m.

Green Horizon: decarbonising one of Europe's largest industrial port areas 

With the Green Horizon project, Lhyfe intends to produce up to 34 tonnes of green hydrogen per day near the Grand Canal du Havre (Normandy), one of Europe's largest industrial port areas. 

This site will supply the region's needs in terms of decarbonisation of industry and mobility. The plant will be located near the Yara site in Le Havre, whose decarbonisation roadmap includes the use of green hydrogen. Yara is interested in and supports Lhyfe's project. 

The Lhyfe production site, to be located on a 2.8-hectare plot of land in Gonfreville-l'Orcher, is expected to be completed by 2029 and will be one of the first large-scale production sites for decarbonized hydrogen produced by water electrolysis in France and Europe. 

Completion of this project will help demonstrate the technical feasibility and economic viability of this solution, which is an essential complement to direct electrification for decarbonising economies, reducing dependence on fossil fuels and meeting the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets set out in the Paris Agreement. 

This type of pioneering project must be implemented swiftly to pave the way for the larger-scale facilities needed to meet the ambitious targets for installed electrolysis capacity (4.5 GW targeted in France by 2030) and greenhouse gas emission reductions outlined in the French and European hydrogen and decarbonisation strategies. 

This project has been selected by the French government as part of the call for expressions of interest on hydrogen carried out in France in 2021, integrated into the third wave of IPCEI on hydrogen in 2022 and validated by the European Commission in February 2024. IPCEI are transnational projects identified as strategic by the European Union.  

For this project, Lhyfe has already submitted the building permit and the environmental authorization request. Grid connection and availability of the necessary power have been secured.

A European pioneer in green hydrogen leveraging its experience to decarboniseindustry and mobility

Lhyfe is a producer and supplier of green, renewable hydrogen throughout Europe. Lhyfe has been producing and delivering green hydrogen for over 4 years with its first plant completed in 2021. It now has 4 production sites in France and Germany and is developing numerous sites throughout Europe. Lhyfe supplies customers directly, with over 470 deliveries made in 2024 to around fifty clients across 8 European countries. Lhyfe relies on a fleet of nearly 70 containers, one of the largest modern bulk hydrogen transport fleets in Europe, with a 99% service rate. 

As part of the onsite Green Horizon project, hydrogen will be delivered primarily by pipeline, with a direct connection to the customer's industrial site. With two world firsts (a site directly connected to wind turbines and using seawater, and an offshore production pilot), Lhyfe is playing a pioneering role in the sector and is involved in numerous innovation projects related to current and future applications for green and renewable hydrogen.  

Matthieu Guesné, founder and CEO of Lhyfe: ‘We are proud to receive this grant, which reflects a strong vote of confidence from the French government and the European Commission in a SME that is capable of innovating, meeting complex technological challenges and rapidly turning its ambitions into reality. It also recognizes our ability to invest heavily and rally renowned international partners to our side. By contributing to the decarbonization of Le Havre industrial-port area starting in 2029, the Green Horizon project marks a real turning point – one that is essential if we are to decarbonise our industrial uses on a large scale. With this project Lhyfe will surpass the 100 MW milestone ininstalled electrolysis capacity: a true industrial leap forward!’

Lhyfe | https://www.lhyfe.com/

VDE Americas, a global leader in technical advisory and catastrophic risk assessment services for the solar power industry, and kWh Analytics, a leading Climate Insurance provider that differentiates premiums based on renewable energy asset resiliency, have jointly launched a new assessment form that evaluates solar site hail vulnerability and protective measures. The launch coincides with the beginning of North America’s hail season, which spans from April through September, giving solar developers and operators a timely resource to safeguard their assets during these high-risk months.

Multiple, high-profile hail losses have caused insurance challenges for solar assets, fueling the industry to adopt resilience measures, such as deploying thicker glass solar panels that are less prone to cracking. However, for insurance carriers to effectively assess risk mitigation, they need data.

To provide meaningful hail risk evaluation data, VDE Americas and kWh Analytics have jointly developed the Hail Stow and Risk Evaluation form. This easy-to-use assessment allows insurance underwriters and financiers to confirm and monitor hail defense functionality. The form also provides an option for insurers to connect with tracker manufacturers and independent engineers directly for project specifics.

Ultimately, projects that use this form and demonstrate the effectiveness of their resiliency efforts should receive insurance credits for doing so. The form and recommendations are informed by VDE’s comprehensive best practices for hail defense, which include proactive solar panel stowing—tilting solar panels at extreme angles to minimize hail impact damage—sector-specific hail forecasting, and alert-based hail stow.

kWh Analytics’ and VDE Americas’ approach to risk modeling leverages radar-based weather data and equipment-specific hail resiliency characteristics to create a data-driven model that rewards resilient design and operational excellence. By incorporating reliable, site-specific hail risk data and equipment performance metrics, this approach creates a more precise risk assessment framework that benefits proactive solar owners and operators. "Our evidence-based premium differentiation rewards projects with proven hail defense strategies, sending an insurance price signal to the industry and incentivizing the design, construction, and operation of more resilient solar assets," said Nicole Thompson, Senior Manager of Data Science at kWh Analytics.

The form works alongside VDE Americas' Hail Risk Intelligence suite to address solar projects’ vulnerabilities to hail. The evaluation provides insurers with standardized criteria to assess hail readiness, while the Intelligence suite equips operators with practical tools—including hail risk engineering reports, a Hail Risk Atlas with ArcGIS mapping, technical guidance for stow procedures, and forensic analysis capabilities. Together, these resources help solar projects both strengthen their resilience against hail damage and demonstrate resilience to insurers.

"Safeguarding energy assets against severe weather risk is critical to maintaining grid stability across the United States," said Brian Grenko, CEO and President of VDE Americas. "This collaboration transforms how the industry approaches hail risk by establishing clear, actionable guidelines for resilient design and operations, plus an incentive to demonstrate hail defenses are in place and working as expected."

VDE Americas | www.vdeamericas.com 

kWh Analytics | www.kwhanalytics.com/

Spruce Power Holding Corporation (NYSE: SPRU) (“Spruce” or the “Company”), a leading owner and operator of distributed solar energy assets across the United States, announced the appointment of Chris Hayden as Senior Vice President of IT and Enterprise Applications. Hayden will focus on advancing Spruce’s service platform, scaling the Spruce PRO service offering, and driving innovation across the Company’s IT function, including strategy, infrastructure, application development, and security.

“Chris has deep expertise in the solar industry and a proven track record of successful leadership in information technology and software development,” said Derick Smith, Chief Operating Officer of Spruce. “His expertise in optimizing technology to drive scalability, cultivate innovation, and accelerate growth with a strong focus on the customer experience uniquely positions him to lead Spruce’s IT transformation.”

Hayden has more than 25 years of experience in digital business innovation, strategic IT planning, and process engineering and optimization. He previously served as Chief Technology Officer and Executive Vice President at Sunnova Energy. Prior to that, Hayden served as Chief Information Officer at STREAM and held an IT leadership role at TXU Energy. He began his career as a management consultant, directing IT-based project delivery at Capgemini and Ernst & Young.

Spruce Power | www.sprucepower.com

SiTration, a materials recovery company serving the mining and metals industries, on Thursday, April 10th, celebrated the opening of its new R&D and pilot facility attended by state, and local officials; investors; and partners. The company plans to develop and scale its pilot systems for critical minerals recovery in the 11,000-square-foot facility in Watertown, MA. The company’s technology enables low cost, sustainable recovery of metals including copper, cobalt, and nickel which are key to the clean energy transition. SiTration’s technical approach enables profitable extraction even from waste streams, unlocking new resources and bolstering domestic sources of critical minerals. This new facility will support production of pilot systems, expansion of R&D efforts, and recent headcount growth.

In recognition of SiTration’s commencement of operations, the event featured remarks from notable leaders including State Representative Steve Owens and Undersecretary of Economic Foundations Ashley Stolba. Co-founder and CEO Dr. Brendan Smith cut a ceremonial ribbon to mark the occasion. Attendees were later guided on a tour of the new facility.

"This new space marks an inflection point for SiTration,” said Dr. Smith “enabling us to expand our world-class team and build pilot systems larger and faster than previously possible. These systems will be deployed with mining partners around the world to demonstrate our uniquely profitable and sustainable critical minerals extraction capabilities, advancing us towards the commercial scale."

Founded as a spinoff from research conducted at MIT, SiTration is working to address the demand for critical materials needed to manufacture technologies that are key to electrification and AI adoption, including electric motors, batteries, and data centers. SiTration’s patented silicon filtration and electro-extraction technologies provide chemical-free, energy-efficient extraction and recycling. The company’s innovative solution lowers both the cost and the resource intensity of extracting and recycling materials, while also addressing localized pollution from mining operations. The company’s work has attracted the attention of industry, most notably through a partnership with Rio Tinto to valorize and remediate mining waste streams.

"We invested in SiTration because the energy transition is a materials transition -- the copper, lithium, rare earths, and other elements that SiTration can recover will increasingly power every sector of the global economy," said Matthew Nordan, General Partner at Azolla Ventures. "The company is a case study in how Massachusetts' innovation ecosystem brings powerful ideas to life. Private investors like us, state agencies like the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, accelerator programs like Activate, and innumerable individual advisors and supporters all played a role in bringing a core innovation from the lab into the field."

To date, SiTration has raised $14.4 million in venture capital funding. The most recent Seed financing round was led by 2150 with participation from BHP Ventures, Extantia, and Orion Industrial Ventures. Previous investors Azolla Ventures and MIT-affiliated E14 Fund also participated in the oversubscribed round.

SiTration | https://sitration.com/